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Promising Practices

The Promising Practices database informs professionals and community members about documented approaches to improving community health and quality of life.

The ultimate goal is to support the systematic adoption, implementation, and evaluation of successful programs, practices, and policy changes. The database provides carefully reviewed, documented, and ranked practices that range from good ideas to evidence-based practices.
Learn more about the ranking methodology.

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Flex Your Power Case Study: Inland Empire Utilities Agency (Inland Empire, CA)

Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants, Urban

Goal: The goals of the projects were to:
- Provide uninterrupted service;
- Develop a strategy to minimize or eliminate future wastewater rate increases resulting from higher power supply costs;
- Build self-sufficiency and local control over longterm energy supplies;
- Help improve electric generation for the benefit of the IEUA service area (e.g., municipal power Joint Power arrangements with the cities); and
- Assist the region and California in meeting its energy needs.

Flex Your Power Case Study: San Diego State Office Building (San Diego, CA)

Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Energy & Sustainability, Urban

Goal: The goal of this program was to reduce energy usage at the San Diego State Office Building.

Flex Your Power Case Study: Vallejo Sanitation and Flood Control District (Vallejo, CA)

Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants

Goal: Vallejo Sanitation's goals in 2001 were to seek the most cost effective treatment of wastewater and to find financial rebates/grants where possible to implement cost saving measures. In order to qualify for generator replacement rebates, the agency needed to design and complete the project in a short time.

Florida Healthy Kids (Florida)

Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality, Children

Goal: The Florida Healthy Kids Corporation arranges health care coverage for Florida's uninsured children. They develop and implement solutions, making quality a priority at every step in the process. They strive to instill a sense of security among the families of those they serve.

Florida State Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (Florida)

Filed under Effective Practice, Economy / Housing & Homes, Adults, Families

Goal: The goal of the HOPWA program is to help families pay housing expenses so that they are not displaced due to costs and discrimination associated with HIV/AIDS.

Flu in 15 (Baltimore, MD)

Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases, Adults

Goal: The goal of "Flu in 15" is to increase the acceptance of the seasonal flu vaccine among healthcare workers.

Four Seasons Hotel Composting Partnership (Philadelphia, PA)

Filed under Effective Practice, Environmental Health / Toxins & Contaminants

Goal: The goal of the Four Seasons Hotel Composting Partnership is to reduce the hotel's waste by recycling kitchen scraps with a local composter.

Friends for Life (Delaware, OH)

Filed under Effective Practice, Health / Health Care Access & Quality

Goal: The purpose is to inform the public of the agency mission, garner support for services and funding and to create volunteer and donation opportunities.

Fuel Up to Play 60 (USA)

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Physical Activity, Children

Goal: The goal of Fuel Up to Play 60 is to increase consumption of nutrient-rich foods and encourage school children to get at least 60 minutes of physical activity each day.

Full Circle Diabetes Program (Minneapolis)

Filed under Good Idea, Health / Diabetes, Racial/Ethnic Minorities, Urban

Goal: The Full Circle Diabetes Program aims to provide a holistic approach to diabetes self-management.

An Effective Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success and/or promise in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures of improvement in outcome of interest (i.e. increase in voter registration, not just delivery of voter registration drive) and/ or the outcome measure is increased or improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant.

A Good Idea meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program funding source, program implementation steps and outcomes.
  2. The program evaluation is limited to descriptive measure(s) of success/accomplishment (i.e., program participation rates, number of services/education sessions/radio messages provided). Note: oftentimes, the program has been newly implemented and a program evaluation has not yet been conducted. Programs that have not yet been evaluated, but which show promise in improving health or quality of life, are classified as Good Ideas until an evaluation is conducted.

An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.